Honor Ted Foss's memory by following the law that bears his name
Aug. 29, 2022
Minnesota State Patrol troopers make thousands of traffic stops each year. Take a second to put yourself in their boots.
You see a car speeding, you turn on your lights, the driver pulls over to the side of the road. If everything goes to plan, the driver stays in the car while you, the trooper, get out of your squad and walk down the highway to the driver's vehicle.
Would you want cars driving in the lane right next to you? Or would you want the extra space of a traffic lane between you?
You'd want the space. It's common courtesy, as well as a state law, to move over for stopped vehicles on the shoulder of the road.
Here's a breakdown of the
Ted Foss Move Over Law:
- On a road with two or more lanes going the same direction, drivers must move over one full lane from stopped emergency vehicles that have their flashing lights activated.
- The law covers ambulance, fire, maintenance and construction vehicles, as well as tow trucks.
- In situations where it's not safe to move over (like heavy traffic), drivers must slow down.
Failing to take these actions endangers those who provide critical and life-saving services and leave drivers paying a fine of more than $100.
The law got its name from a tragedy. Trooper Ted Foss was conducting a traffic stop Aug. 30, 2000, on the shoulder of Interstate 90 when he was hit and killed by a passing vehicle. He left behind his wife, Andrea, and two kids.
Twenty years later,
Andrea told DPS she had a message for Minnesota drivers: “Please slow down and move over for the people trying to keep us safe and make our roads nice to travel."
Troopers made 1,956 traffic stops for the Move Over Law in 2021. That's nearly 2,000 times troopers were put at risk because a driver decided not to move over.
Ultimately, every trooper's job is to make sure you get where you're going safely. Although their job carries a certain amount of risk, we can help return the favor – and honor Trooper Foss's memory – by obeying the law that bears his name.
